Fern Frances MacKenzie
April 18, 1915 - October 24, 2004
Obituary
Fern Francis Keeler MacKenzie
Fern MacKenzie died on October 24, 2004 at age 89 due to the combination of a heart attack and a stroke. While the roles of student, wife, mother, educator and counselor varied throughout her life, Fern’s persistent role was that of a passionate horsewoman, having received her first horse when she was 8 years old and selling her last horse when she sold her farm at the age of 84.
Fern was born in Seattle on April 18, 1915, the oldest of five daughters born to Washington Vernon Keeler and Nina Matilda Carstensen Keeler. The Keelers resided in Burien, where Fern attended Sunnydale Elementary School and Highline High School. With the support and encouragement of an uncle, Fern attended the University of Washington where she met and married Jack MacKenzie, a Husky football player. Settling just south of the site that would later become SeaTac Airport, Jack and Fern raised three daughters and a menagerie of farm animals: horses, cows, pigs, rabbits, and chickens.
A firm believer that every woman should cultivate the skills to support herself, Fern returned to the UW to finish her degree when her youngest child entered junior high. Graduating with her BS in 1957, she began her teaching career as a home economics instructor at Kent Junior High and continued at Kent-Meridian High School. Her belief in self-sufficiency for women spurred her to pursue certification as a guidance counselor. She retired from a counseling position at Kent-Meridian in 1976 after advising many young girls, encouraging them to complete their education in order to ensure themselves a future with options.
During their work life and continuing into retirement, Fern and Jack rose early in the morning to feed the animals and hurried home to feed again at night. Daughters and grandchildren can attest to weekends filled with cleaning stalls, repairing fences and driving to the feed store, but Fern enjoyed it all. A horse fancier from caring for her first horse as a child, she grew to become a collector, owning as many as 28 horses at one time, most of them Appaloosas and Quarter Horses.
Gardening and needle arts figured prominently among Fern’s hobbies. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed finding new plants for her yard. Having mastered knitting, crocheting and sewing, she began spinning and weaving wool as part of the Auburn Spinners group. Initially purchasing fleeces to spin, she gradually acquired what became eight ewes and a ram, creating a plentiful supply of fleeces and lamb chops.
Fern is survived by two daughters, Linda MacKenzie and Pame MacKenzie Browning Allen; seven grandchildren, Marji, Chris, Tim, Brian, Chelsea Scott, Stephanie Mark, and Natalie Aaron; three great-grandchildren, Eric, Kevin, and Erica; two sisters, Bobbie Keeler McIntyre and Monda Keeler Rojas; and many nieces and nephews. God has chosen to reunite Fern with those who preceded her in death: husband Jack, daughter Janell, grandson Eric, sisters Ann Keeler Nye and Norma Keeler Smythe Tuniniga, and brothers-in-law Frank Nye, Wayne McIntyre, and Larry Rojas.
A celebration of her life will be held at Foundation House, 32290 1st Ave. S, Federal Way, on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 11 am.
Remembrances may be made to Franciscan Hospice, 2901 Bridgeport Way W. University Place, WA 98466-4631 whose staff provided wonderful support and care to Fern in the months before her final hospitalization and to the staff of St. Francis Hospital for their loving care of Fern at the end of her life.
I extend my sympathy to your family. My mother, Betty Shanlian, worked with Fern in the Counseling Office at Kent-Meridian Senior High School during the 1960s and 1970s. Their friendship continued after their retirement. I also remember visiting the impressive horse barn in Enumclaw. Best wishes.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Elsa